Full-fashioned stocking and method of knitting same



NOV. 28, D V SMITH ET AL FULL FASHIONED STOCKING AND METHOD OF KNITTING SAME Filed June 8, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l FI/9 .1. Ev B.

0Wzzmy' FULL FASHIONED STOCKING AND METHOD OF KNITTING SAME Filed June 8, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fwy. 5.

m m M m. M m m T YNH f 3 y 7 w m .u w M W filll I r! v NV 5 v 7 4 I 6 P Q 6 5 I nvenifors Donald VERY/79571, Hen/7'3! WH New. 28, 1933'- D v SMlTH ET 1,937,033

FULL FASHIONED STOCKING AND METHOD OF KNITTING SAME Filed June 8, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 D 5 a w Inv (271/750 rs .DonaZd V6 mziih, Henry WHojfmazwn.

iatented Nov. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES i PATENT OFFICE FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING AND IMETHOD F KNITTING SAME Pennsylvania Application June 8,1931. Serial No. 542,726

22 Claims. (01. 66-173) This invention relates to knitted hosiery, preferably full fashioned hosiery, and to the method of knitting the same.

In order that the principles of the invention may be readily understood, we have disclosed two embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of. a full fashioned stocking knitted in accordance with one embodi- 3 ment of the invention, the portion of the stocking between the second welt and the ankle being broken away to save space;

Fig. 2 is a side elevationof the upper portion of a full fashioned stocking disclosing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a full fashioned stocking knitted in accordance with our invention as disclosed in Fig. l, but without attempting to show the shape or fashioning of the go stocking; I

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing ge modified form of the invention represented in Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 3 and 4, but indicating, in dotted lines, the upper and second welts severed from the stocking by the purchaser so as to provide a shorter stocking having an acceptable free end-edge, and Figs. 7 to 12 are diagrams illustrating certain steps practised in forming the upper welt and the welt next below the same.

The purpose of the invention is two-fold, namely, (1) to provide a stocking, preferably a full fashioned stocking, the upper end of which may be readily severed at any one of several circumferential lines, so as thereby to provide a stocking with a shorter leg, and (2) to provide a plurality of ravel resistant or non-ravelling barriers.

and referring to the preferred embodiment thereof, we form, as hereinafter described more in detail, a top or first welt inthe usual manner and then knit a relatively short, single walled area having therein a line indicating where the stocking should be severed if the first welt 'is to be cut off, and we then knit a second welt. as hereinafter more fully described, in such mannor that a barrier, which is nqn-ravelling or 5 mn-resistant,'may be provided at the bottom of said second welt.- If desired we then knit another single walled areaof relatively short length having therein an indication where the stocking should be severed if the second welt also is to be removed therefrom, and we then knit In carrying out the purpose of our invention,

another welt in the same manner. as the second,

or any number of welts in addition to the first and second.

Referring only to that form of our invention which is a full fashioned stocking, the same may be made upon any suitable full fashioned machine, as, for example, of the type indicated in the patent to George H. Miller, No. 1,567,575, dated December 29, 1925. In knitting the stocking we may, if desired, provide the same with a ridge, which is the characteristic feature of the said Miller patent, but we have not shown the same herein and our invention is not in any way limited to the use of said ridge, which may or may not be present in the stocking of our invention.

A full fashioned stocking as an entirety is indicated at 1 in Fig. 1. The stocking is begun in the usual manner by knitting the first or top welt; which is a standard full-fashioned hosiery welt made desirably as follows:

At the commencement of the stocking we preferably knit one loose course and then the welt bar (such, for example as that disclosed in the said Miller patent, which contains welt hooks) is used to catch .or engage the loops or stitches of the said loose course. Then the desired number of courses are knitted to make the desired length of first welt, which may be and preferably is of usual length, but it may be either longer or shorter. .When the desired length of welt is knitted, the machine is stopped; the welt bar containing the welt hooks is then placed on the needles, a welt hook on each needle, and the stitches are then transferred from the welt hooks onto the needles. The said first welt is indicated at 2 in Figs. 1, 3 and 5. After thesaid standard welt 2 is knitted and closed, a number of courses are knitted to con stitute a single walled fabric, as indicated at 3 in Figs. 1, 3 and 5. The number of courses constituting the said single walled area may be varied in accordance with our invention. During the knitting of said single walled area, we indicate where the first welt should be severed from the stocking if the customer desires to sever only the first welt. We preferably indicate the place for severance by introducing a colored, resist dye, yarn as lndicated'at 4 in Figs. 1 and 4. After the colored, resist dye, yarn has been knitted in for a single course or a small plurality of courses, the knitting then proceeds with the yarn that was used for knitting the first part of the single walled area 3. It is to be understood that the color of the indicating yarn 4 may be such as desired, as, for example, red or green, and we may and preferably do employ diiferent colored threads 4 to distinguish different numbers of hosiery. The stocking is desirbar containing the welt hooks is used to engage the stitches of the loose course. Then a number of courses are knitted to make a length of fabric equal to one wall (that is, the outer wall of the said second welt 5). When a sufficient length of fabric is knitted to equal the outer wall of the said second welt 5, the machine is stopped, the needle bar is then thrown out of the sinkers and the knocking-over bits. The stitches that are on the needles at that time are pressed down as close as possible to the needle bar plates, so that when the needle bar is again placed into the sinkers and knocking-over bits, the stitches on the needles that were pressed down to theneedle plates are underneath the knocking-over bits. Ihe purpose of putting said row of stitches 'under the knocking-over bits is to insure that no fabric can be knitted on the said row of stitches, because the second wall of the said second welt 5 has not been knitted.

While the stitches are held under the knickingover bits, the welt is turned and then the inner wall of the said second welt 5 is knitted consisting of exactly the same number of courses as the outer wall of said second welt 5. Then the said outer wall stitches ofthe said second welt 5 are raised above the knocking-over bits and one course is knit which locks together the outer and the inner walls of the said second welt 5.

It will be understood that in making the second welt 5, the welt bar containing the welt hooks on which the first loose course stitches were placed is used in the same manner as when making the standard welt 2, namely, by placing the welt hooks on the needles and transferring the stitches from the welt hooks onto the needles.

As already stated, after the second wall of the second welt 5 is knitted, the row of stitches at the lower end of the outer wall of the second welt 5 are raised above the knocking-over bits but are placed underneath the sinkers, so that additional courses can now be knitted on the said row of stitches, but before knitting the additional courses to constitute the next inner wall, if a third welt is to be formed, we knit one course which looks together the inner and the outer walls of the second welt 5 at the bottom of the said walls. This point of locking the two walls of the second welt 5 is indicated at 6 in Figs. 1 and 3. v

In knitting the second welt, or any subsequent welt if the same be employed, after the stitches from the welt hooks have been transferred onto the needles, a row of stitches .is placed underneath the sinkers and over the knocking-over bits, in order that the additional courses can be knitted on the said row of stitches only after the second wall of the welt is knitted. After the knitting of the first wall of the second welt is completed, it is necessary to stop the machine so as to place the said row of stitches underneath the sinkers and over the knocking-over bits. Then the machine is again, started so as to single walled area 9.

osaoss make the said second wall of the second welt, and care must be taken that precisely the same number of courses is knit to make the second wall of the second welt as were knitted when makng the first wall of the said second welt. In other words, if one hundred courses were knitted from the beginning of the loose course for the second welt down to the bottom of the outer wall of the said welt, at which point the stitches are placed underneath the knock-over bits, then another hundred courses exactly must be knit from the operation of transferring the stitches from the welt hooks to the needles before stopping the machine. When the said second hundred courses have been knitted, the machine is then stopped. The needle bar is again thrown 'out of the sinkers and knocking-over bits, and the stitches on the needles underneath the knock-over bitsare raised so that said stitches will be over the knocking-over bits. The needle bar is then placed back into knitting position, and in addition to the row of stitches that were on the needles when the last course was made, the stitches on the needles that were underneath the knocking-over bits should be. under the sinkers and over the knocking-over bits. In other words, at this point two rows of stitches are on the needles substantially the same as when the standard or first welt is made. The machine is again started, and the first course of knitting will lock the upper and the lower stitches that were on the needles. In Figs. 7 to 12 we have diagrammatically indicated the steps practised in forming the top welt 2, the single walled section of knitting 3 and the second welt 5. v

This completes the knitting of the second welt, and if only two welts are knitted as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the remainder of the stocking is knitted in the usual manner, namely, the remainder of the leg as indicated at 7 in Fig. 1 and the foot 8, the part 7 being indicated in Fig.

3 without attempting to show the shaping or fashioning.

As many welts as desired can be made in any one stocking, and each welt is made in the same manner as in making the second welt. In Figs. 2 and 4, we have indicated the making of a third welt. Before making the third welt, we knit a single walled area 9', which is similar to the single walled area 3, and during the knitting of that area we provide an indicating line for severing the second welt. Said indicating line is indicated at 10 in Figs. 2 and 4, and it consists of a colored, resist dye yarn, the same as indicated at 4. After the said yarn 10 has been introduced for one course, or if desired other additional number of courses, the knitting is continued with the yarn already referred to as used in knitting the After a suflicient single walled area has been knitted, we then knit. the third welt, indicated at 11 in Figs. 2 and 4. In said Figs. 2 and 4, the first welt is indicated at,2 and the second welt is indicated at 5.

The third welt 11 is knitted in the same manner precisely as the second welt, and therefore the same need not be described in detail. As many welts as desired may be made in any one stocking, and each welt is made as described for the making of the second welt.

An important purpose of the invention is to permit the manufacturer to make stockings all of the same length and yet to provide a structure which the purchaser may utilize by severing the first welt or the second welt or even the third welt so. as to obtain the length of stocking desired. When a stocking is severed either just below the first welt or below the second welt, or below any other welt if the same exists, the stocking should be out just below the indicating colored thread 4, 10, etc. We have indicated this operation in Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5 we have shown the upper welt 2 in dotted lines to indi= cate that the same has been severed at or substantially at the line 4, and in Fig. 6 we have shown the first welt 2' and the second welt 5 in dotted lines to indicate that the two have been severed at or substantially at the line 10 of Fig. 4. When the stocking is severed at either line as described, the loose ends that result can be ravelled down to the beginning of the next welt and leave a clean cut appearance, thus making the hosiery actually reducible in length to fit eight inch stocking, or the woman that desires.

a thirty inch stocking would cut off the first welt, and thus have a thirty inch stocking. It is to be understood that this procedure may be carried to any extent by providing more than three welts, and the welts may be of any desired length, preferably of the same length but not necessarily so.

It is to be understood that any run that starts in any one of the welts cannot run into the next welt. Any run starting in the standard welt 2 will stop at the top or beginning of the second welt, and any run starting in the second welt wfll stop at the top or beginning of the third welt. The reason for this is that in making the second and all the succeeding welts, the sinker Wale stitch and the needle wale stitch are knitted together to make a barrier which constitutes a run-stop or run=resistant feature. This run stop feature, more specifically speaking, is created as follows in making the second and each succeeding welt. After placing the row of stitches under the knocking over hits as already stated in making the second welt, the stitches on the welt hooksare transferred onto needles as de scribed in making the second welt. The fact that the needle wales or stitches are under the knocking-over bits prevents, in the next course, the knitting of needle wales or stitches on the other needle wales or stitches. The wale stitches which were transferred from the welt hooks to the needles are placed under the sirilsers and over the knocking over hits as already described in the making of the second welt. The wale stitches so transferred are now in a position for further knitting of stitches. The next course after the wale stitches that were transferred onto the needles are needle stitches, and it is this course that makes the rim-step feature, inasmuch as the needle stitches are knitted into the sinker wale stitches. in other words, the sinker wale stitches and the needle Wale stitches are so knitted together in closing the second welt and each subsequent welt as to males a positive run-stop.

We are aware of the patent to Buchsbaum, No. 1,728,924, September 2 1929, and claim nothing therein disclosed. Said patent discloses a stocking wherein a hem 13 is formed by .folding inward a circumferential band or section of the stocking below the top there-oi and securing such inwardly folded band to the wall of the stocking by a pull thread or a hemstitch, leaving the upper portion 15 or 115 or 215 0;315 of the stocking protruding, to be either left upright so as to come between the garter fastener and the flesh,

or to be folded over the outside of the stocking to provide four thicknesses of fabric at the upper end of the stocking. our invention as described and claimed is, therefore, clearly distinguished therefrom.

Having thus described two embodiments of the stocking of our invention and the best mode known tous for knitting the same, it is to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A full-fashioned stocking having at its upper end at least two welts forming successive parts of the upper end .of said stocking, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, the stocking having between each two welts a circumferential area of plain knitting with a ravel-resistant barrier immediately therebelow, whereby the-stocking may be completely severed at any said plain-knitted area and raveled, if necessary, tothe nearest barrier, thereby to provide a shorter stocking having an acceptable iree end-edge.

2. A full-fashioned stocking having its upper portion composed of a plurality of welts, each constituting a part of the length of the stocking and each adapted to contact with the leg of the wearer, all or said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, each said welt subsequent to the upper one having at its upper end'a runresistant knitted barrier, there being a plain knitted circumferential area between each two welts where the stocking may be completely sevcred and thereby shortened.

3. A full-fashioned stocking having. its upper portion composed of a plurality of welts, each constituting a part of the length of the stocking and each adapted to contact with the leg of the wearer, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, each said welt subsequent to the upper one having at its upper end a runresistant knitted barrier, there being a plain knitted circumferential area between each two welts where the stocking may be completely its upper walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, each said welt subsequent to the upper one having at its upper end a runresistant knitted barrier, there being a plain knitted circumferential area between each two welts where the stocking may be completely severed and thereby shortened, each said plain knitted area having knitted in circumferentially a thread difierlng in color from the immediately adjacent part of the stocking, to indicate the circumferential line of severance.

5. A full-fashioned stocking having its upper portion composed of a plurality of welts, each constituting a part of the length of the stocking and each adapted to contact with the leg of the wearer, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, each said welt subsequent to the upper one having at its upper end a run-resistant knitted barrier, there being a plain knitted circumferential area between each two welts where the stocking may be completely severed and thereby shortened, each said plain knitted area having a circumferential resist-color stripe to indicate where to sever the stocking below a welt.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a triple welt, full-fashioned stocking, the upper portion whereof is composed of three welts arranged in succession and each severable from the stocking to shorten the length thereof, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, and each welt so united to the body of the stocking at its closing end as to constitute a run-resistant or run-stop barrier to a run commencing thereabove.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a plural welt, full-fashioned stocking, the upper portion whereof is composed of a plurality of welts arranged in succession and each severable from the stocking to shorten the length thereof, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, and each welt so united to the body of the stocking at its closing end as to constitute a runresistant or run-stop barrier to a run commencing thereabove, there being between each two adjacent welts a circumferential single-walled area where the stocking may be severed and the free edge raveled down to the next barrier, thereby to provide an acceptable top-edge of a shortened stocking.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a .triple welt, full-fashioned stocking thirty-two inches long, each said welt being substantially two inches long and located one succeeding another at the upper end of the stocking, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, each welt subsequent to the uppermost being united at its terminal end to the stocking in a upper end of the stocking, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, each welt subsequent to the uppermost being united at its terminal end to the stocking in a circumferential barrier of knitted stitches, whereby upon the severance of either the first, or the first and second, welts from the stocking, the said barrier of the next remaining welt constitutes the top edge of the shortened stocking, there being between each two adjacent welts a single walled, circumferential area where the stocking may be severed an ravelled down to the next barrier, each said single walled, circumferential area having a contrastingly colored stocking-encircling thread to indicate where the stocking should be severed between welts to shorten the stocking.

10.. As a new article of manufacture, a plural welt, full-fashioned stocking all in succession beginning at the upper end of the stocking, and each severable from the stocking to shorten the stocking and leaving the next remaining welt to constitute the top of the shortened stocking, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are allcircumferentially continuous about the stocking, each welt beginning with the second having the sinker wale stitches and the needle wale stitches at the closing end of each such welt or welts knitted together to constitute a runstop at the top of the second and each succeeding welt, whereby any run starting in the top or terminal welt will stop at the beginning of the second welt and any run starting in the second welt will stop at the beginning of the third welt.

11. As a new article of manufacture, a plural welt, full-fashioned stocking all in succession beginning at the upper end of the stocking, and each severable from the stocking to shorten the stocking and leaving the next remaining welt to constitute the top of the shortened stocking, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, each welt beginning with the second having the sinker wale stitches and the needle wale stitches at the closing end of each such welt or welts knitted together to constitute a run-stop at the top of the second and each succeeding welt,

whereby any run starting in the top or terminal welt will stop at the beginning of the second welt and any run starting in the second welt will stop at the beginning of the third welt, and so on, according to the number of successive welts.

12. That method of knitting and fitting a full fashioned stocking consisting in beginning the stocking with a welt, and after completion of said topmost welt knitting one or more additional welts, each constituting a distinct portion of the length of the stocking, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, and after completion of the .knitting and seaming of the stocking and,'in orderto alter the same to conform to the length of stocking desired by the customer, severing one or more of the welts beginning with the topmost, and ravelling the severed edge down to the next said welt.

13. That method of knitting and fitting a fullfashioned stocking consisting in'beginning the stocking with a welt, and after completion of said topmost welt knitting one or more additional welts, each constituting a distinct portion of' the length of the stocking, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, but between each two adjacent welts knitting a single walled area, and after completion of the knitting and seaming of the stocking and, in order to alter the same to conform to the length of stocking desired by the customer, severing one or more of the welts beginning with the topmost.

14. That method of knitting and fitting a full fashioned stocking consisting in beginning the stocking with a welt, and after completion of said topmost welt knitting one or more additional welts, each constituting a distinct portion of the length of the stocking, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, but be tween each two adjacent welts knitting a single walled area, closing each of said welts by a runresistant barrier of knitted stitches, and after completion of the knitting and seaming of the stocking and, in order to alter the same to conform to the length of stocking desired by the customer, severing one or more of the welts beginning with the topmost.

15. That method of knitting and fitting a fullfashioned stocking consisting in beginning the stocking with a welt, and after completion of said topmost welt knitting one or more additional welts, each constituting a distinct portion of the length of the stocking, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, but between each two adjacent welts knitting a single walled area, and after completion of the knitting and seaming of the stocking and, in order to alter the same to conform to the length of stocking desired by the customer, severing one or more of the welts beginning with the topmost, and ravelling the severed edge down to the next said welt.

16. That method of knitting and fitting a fulliashioned stocking consisting in beginning the stocking with a welt, and after completion of said topmost welt knitting one or more additional welts, each constituting a distinct portion of the length of the stocking, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, but between each two adjacent welts knitting a single walled area, and during the knitting of each said single walled area introducing a thread of contrasting color for a short distance to indicate where the stocking should be severed between welts, and after completion of the knitting and seaming of the stocking and, in order to alter the same to conform to the length of stocking desired by the customer, severing one or more of the welts beginning with the topmost.

1'7. That method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking consisting in beginning the stocking with the usual top welt, and closing the said welt, then knitting a relatively short, single walled area, then knitting as the next portion of the stocking a welt of substantial length, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, then closing said second welt by a runresistant barrier of knitted stitches, and then completing the knitting of the stocking in the usual manner.

18. That method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking consisting'in beginning the stocking with the usual top welt, and closing the said welt, then knitting a relatively short, single walled area having therein a thread of contrasting color to indicate where the stocking should be severed between welts, then knitting as the next portion of the stocking a welt of substantial length, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, then closing said second welt by a runresistant barrier of knitted stitches and then completing the knitting of the stocking in the usual manner.

19. That method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking consisting in beginning the stocking with the usual top welt, and closing the said welt, then knitting a relatively short, single walled area, then knitting as the next portion of the stocking a welt of substantial length, all of said welts having inner and outer walls which are all circumferentially continuous about the stocking, then closing said second welt by a runresistant barrier of knitted stitches, then knitting another relatively short, single walled area, then knitting as the next portion of the stocking a third welt of substantial length, then closing said third welt by a non-resistant barrier of knitted stitches, and then completing the knitting of the stocking in the usual manner.

20. An integrally knitted stocking having a top portion comprising successive sections of doubled fabric joined end to end by narrow bands of single fabric, each section adapted to give the stocking a non-raveling terminus independently of the section beyond.

21. A knitted fabric stocking adapted to be accommodated to difierentleg lengths comprising a leg portion and a top portion including a plurality of successive two-ply welts, readily removable joining means between welts, each welt presenting a terminus non-raveling independent of the fabric beyond.

22. A knitted fabric stocking, adapted to be accommodated to different leg lengths, comprising a leg portion and a top portion including a plurality of successive turned welts, single ply fabric integral with ,and joining adjacent edges of neighboring welts, each welt presenting a stocking terminus non-raveling independent of the welt beyond;

DONALD V. SMITH. HENRY W. HOFFMANN. 

